They plan to activate a gene in the mouse that will selectively eliminate senescent cells.

ECONOMIST: The latest from the wacky world of anti-senescence therapy

They are devising an experiment to create a mouse in which senescent cells those that no longer divide are prevented from accumulating.

ECONOMIST: The latest from the wacky world of anti-senescence therapy

By contrast, actually eliminating senescent cells may be a logical extension of the process of shutting them down (they certainly cannot cause cancer if they are dead), and thus may not have adverse consequences.

ECONOMIST: A way to counteract part of the process of growing old